Not long now: in a little over 16 months the world’s greatest sporting event will be in London. Hosting the Olympic Games is a huge burden for a country. But undeniable too are the benefits, not least the near certain boost to the tally of medals won by the UK’s athletes (or, if you must, “Team GB”).

The happy prospect of victorious competitors draping themselves in the Union Flag doesn’t necessarily chime though with the United Kingdom’s tendency to devolution in other aspects of life. With regard to medical care, …